Council sets solid waste goals for city

Some say the key to success is focusing on your goals, not the obstacles. At their April 23 meeting, the council set solid waste goals for the city as part of Richfield's commitment to increased sustainability.
 
The city's 2021-2025 solid waste targets are:
  • 25-40 percent of households receiving a cart and participating in curbside organics
  • 30% of households choosing Every Other Week trash service and/or weekly 35-gallon trash
  • After the first year of an organized collection program, calculate the percentage breakdown for residential solid waste generation (tons of trash, recycling, organics).
  • Decrease the total tonnage of solid waste generated, while lowering the percentage of trash generated and increasing that of recycling and organics.
  • Offer quarterly educational opportunities around solid waste, recycling, organics, and reduction/re-use topics. Annually engage at least 300 residents through in-person and virtual workshops as well as broader educational campaigns.
These goals address program participation, resident education, decreasing overall waste tonnage, and understanding the breakdown of the waste streams. Reaching these targets and being able to report back what the city has been doing will help guide future sustainability and waste management efforts.